LOS ANGELES, March 13, (RTRS): The Tribeca Film Festival announced this year’s Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival lineup of nine sports films, including world premieres of Kevin Connolly’s “Big Shot”; biopics on boxing legend Muhammad Ali, extreme skier Shane McConkey and Olympic figure skater Katarina Witt, and a handful documentaries about women in sports directed by female filmmakers. The festival, founded in 2006, is Tribeca’s premiere showcase for independent sports films. Now in its seventh year, it will screen nine world premieres — nearly twice as many as last year’s sports slate. Connolly returns to Tribeca after his 2007 directorial of the feature film “Gardener of Eden.” In the documentary “Big Shot,” which kicks off the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival, Connolly chronicles John Spano’s fraudulent 1996 purchase of the New York Islanders for a bank-busting $165 million. The film follows Spano’s scheme and the biggest case of fraud in hockey history.

Directors by Benny Safdie and Joshua Safdie take a heartbreaking look at high-school basketball player Lenny Cooke, who in 2001 was ranked above future greats LeBron James, Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. A decade later, Cooke is found flamed out, never having made it to the NBA.
The following films, which will screen throughout the festival, will be featured in the 2013 Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival.
Big Shot: Directed by Kevin Connolly; US Documentary. Connolly chronicles John Spano’s fraudulent purchase of the New York Islanders for $165 million in 1996.
McConkey: Directed and written by Steve Winter, Murray Wais, Scott Gaffney, David Zieff, and Rob Bruce; US Documentary. An all-star roster of sports movie-making talent directs this bio pic of extreme ski legend Shane McConkey, once described as “the most influential skier ever.”

Lenny Cooke: Directed by Benny Safdie and Joshua Safdie; US Documentary. In 2001, Lenny Cooke was the most hyped high school basketball player in the country, ranked above future greats LeBron James, Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. A decade later, Lenny has never played a minute in the NBA.
The Trials of Muhammad Ali: Directed by Bill Siegel; US Documentary. This film reveals the perfect storm of race, religion and politics that shaped one of the most recognizable figures in sports history: Muhammad Ali.
The Motivation: Directed by Adam Bhala Lough; US World Premiere, Documentary. Film follows the lives and training regimes of eight of the world’s gutsiest professional skateboarders, as it searches for that elusive quality that separates winners from the pack.
Pat XO: Directed by Lisa Lax and Nancy Stern Winters, produced by Robin Roberts; US Documentary. Story follows Pat Summitt, college basketball’s winningest coach, as she makes the stunning announcement she has Alzheimer’s and resigns.

The Diplomat: Directed and written by Senain Kheshgi and Jennifer Arnold; US Documentary. Follows the rise of gold medal Olympic figure skater Katarina Witt (“the most beautiful face of socialism”) and her connections to the East German secret police.
No Limits: Directed and written by Alison Ellwood; US Documentary. Follows free diver in his journey from ardent free diver to world-class competitor.
Let Them Wear Towels: Directed and written by Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg; US World Premiere, Documentary. A look inside the gender politics of post-game locker room interviews during the 1977 World Series.
The 2013 Tribeca Film Festival will screen 60 short films as part of the annual Big Apple gathering for movie lovers.
Thirty of those films will be world premieres, which the festival’s backers say represents a new record. Though short films are not usually mainstream in their appeal, this year’s lineup includes some big names, such as Lauren Ambrose (“Six Feet Under”), Elle Fanning (“Somewhere”), Dominic West (“The Wire”) and Elijah Wood (“Lord of the Rings”). Their subject matter is also eclectic, ranging from a documentary about the life of basketball great Wilt Chamberlain to a coming-of-age story about a young girl living on an obscure South Pacific island.

There’s a lot on the line for the filmmakers. Recipients of the Tribeca Film Festival’s Best Narrative Short award and Best Documentary Short award will qualify for consideration in the short films category of the Academy Awards, without requiring a theatrical run. There’s been a track record of success in that regard; the festival’s 2012 Narrative Short Winner “Asad” and competition short “Curfew” were both nominated for best Live Action Short at this year’s Oscars. “Curfew” ultimately took home the prize.
Winners also receive prizes valued at more than $10,000 in in-kind contributions.
Selections were chosen from 2,870 submissions and represent 19 countries, including Australia, China, Iraq, Japan, Palestine, Russia, Sweden, the United States and the United Kingdom.
The 2013 shorts program will be presented in eight thematic programs — five narrative categories, two documentary categories and one experimental category.
Here’s a list of the selections and categories:
n Character Witness: Documentary program
Recollections: Directed and written by Nathanael Carton, (Japan), New York Premiere
Grave Goods: Directed and written by Leslie Tai, (USA), World Premiere
When The Song Dies: Directed by Jamie Chambers, (Scotland), North American Premiere
Wilt Chamberlain: Borscht Belt Bellhop, Directed by Caroline Laskow and Ian Rosenberg, (USA), World Premiere

Lapse: Confessions of a Slot Machine Junkie: Directed and written by Jonathan VanBallenberghe, (USA), World Premiere
We Will Live Again: Directed by Josh Koury and Myles Kane, (USA), World Premiere
The Rider and the Storm: Directed and written by David Darg and Bryn Mooser, (USA), World Premiere
Deadbolt: Narrative program
The Girl with the Mechanical Maiden: Directed and written by Andrew Legge, (Ireland), New York Premiere
Yardbird: Directed by Michael Spiccia, written by Julius Avery, (Australia), New York Premiere
The Exit Room: Directed and written by Todd Wiseman Jr, (USA), World Premiere
AB: Directed and written by Daniel Klein, (USA), World Premiere
Peanut Butter & Jelly: Directed and written by David Winkfield, (USA), World Premiere
Honeymoon Suite: Directed by Zao Wang, written by Zao Wang and Tom Toro (China): World Premiere
Delicacy: Directed by Jason Mann, written by Frieda Luk and Jason Mann, (USA), New York Premiere
The Root Of The Problem: Directed and written by Ryan Spindell and Mark E. Davidson, (USA), New York Premiere
The End Is Near: Narrative program
The Acrobat: Directed and written by Gerardo Herrero, (Spain), New York Premiere
Murk Light: Directed by Yasir Al-Yasiri, written by Mohammed A. Al Hammadi, (Iraq), North American Premiere

Snow in Paradise: Directed by Justine Simei-Barton and Nikki Si’ulepa, written by Nikki Si’ulepa, (New Zealand), New York Premiere
Grace: Directed and written by Keir Burrows, (U.K.), International Premiere
Grandma’s Not a Toaster: Directed by Andrew Napier, written by Shawn Christensen, (USA), World Premiere
Epilogue: Directed and written by Dylan Allen, (USA), World Premiere
History Lessons: Documentary program
A Short Film About Guns: Directed by Minos Papas, (Cyprus), (UK), (USA), World Premiere
Reporting on The Times: The New York Times and The Holocaust: Directed by Emily Harrold, (USA),World Premiere

Coach: Directed by Bess Kargman, (USA), World Premiere
Royal American: Directed and written by Michael Scalisi, (USA), World Premiere
Who Shot Rock & Roll: Directed and written by Steven Kochones, (USA), World Premiere
Let There Be Light: The Cycles Of Life: Experimental program
Sight: Directed and written by Thirza Cuthand, (Canada), US Premiere
Star Light No.5 Bis: Directed and written by Cécile Fontaine, (France), North American Premiere
Depart: Directed by Blake Williams, (Canada), U.S. Premiere
Lunatic: Directed and written by Aasa Ersmark, (Sweden), International Premiere
Parallel North (Parallèle Nord): Directed and written by Félix Dufour-Laperrière, (Canada), World Premiere
Hermeneutics: Directed by Alexei Dmitriev, (Russia), New York Premiere
Light Plate: Directed and written by Josh Gibson, (Italy), (USA), New York Premiere
The Moon Has Its Reasons: Directed and written by Lewis Klahr, (UK), North American Premiere
Corn Mother: Directed and written by Taylor Dunne, (USA), New York Premiere
The Last Time: Directed and written by Candy Kugel, (USA), World Premiere
Two Islands: Directed and written by Jan Ijäs, (Finland), North American Premiere
Dead World Order: Directed by Dana Levy, (France), International Premiere
Look Inside The Ghost Machine: Directed and written by Peter Lichter, (Hungary), North American Premiere
Skin Deep: Narrative program
Likeness: Directed and written by Rodrigo Prieto, (USA), World Premiere
Eating Lunch (Äta Lunch): Directed and written by Sanna Lenken, (Sweden), International Premiere
Wings: Directed and written by José Villalobos, (USA), (Spain), International Premiere
The River: Directed and written by Sam Handel, (USA), New York Premiere
The Cup Reader (Qariat il Finjan): Directed and written by Suha Araj, (Occupied Palestinian Territory), World Premiere

Ina Litovski: Directed by Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette and André Turpin, written by André Turpin and Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette, (Canada), US Premiere
The Nightshift Belongs to the Stars (Il Turno di Notte lo Fanno le Stelle): Directed by Edoardo Ponti, written by Erri De Luca, (Italy), North American Premiere
Unlimited Ride: Narrative program
ZZZZZZZ: Directed and written by Tarik Karam, (USA), World Premiere
Close Your Eyes: Directed and written by Sonia Malfa, (USA), World Premiere
ICE: Directed and written by Anthony Tarsitano, (USA), World Premiere
Atlantic Avenue: Directed and written by Laure de Clermont, (France), International Premiere
Playdate: Directed and written by David Shane and Scott Organ, (USA), World Premiere
Fortune House: Directed by Matthew Bonifacio, written by Bob Linton, (USA), World Premiere
Space Cadet: Directed by Paul Riccio, written by Michael Gambino, (USA), World Premiere
Worst Day Ever: Narrative program
The Hounds (Les Meutes): Directed and written by Manuel Shapira, (France), North American Premiere
What’s Left; What’s Lost: Directed and written by Katie Rose, (USA), World Premiere
Life Doesn’t Frighten Me: Directed and written by Stephen Dunn, (Canada), New York Premiere
RPG OKC: Directed and written by Emily Carmichael, (USA), World Premiere
Setup, Punch: Directed and written by David Schlussel, (USA), World Premiere
Fear of Flying: Directed and written by Conor Finnegan, (Ireland), New York Premiere
Fool’s Day: Directed by Cody Blue Snider, written by Cody Blue Snider and Shane Snider, (USA), World Premiere

Special Screening
The Battle of amfAR, Directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, written by Sharon Wood. (USA), New York Premiere, Documentary. In the darkest days of the AIDS pandemic, two women from very different walks of life unite to take a stand. Two-time Academy Award-winner Rob Epstein and his longtime collaborator Jeffrey Friedman, the creative forces behind The Celluloid Closet, tell the story of the extraordinary moment when Dr Mathilde Krim and Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor launched the country’s first AIDS research foundation. The fight against HIV/AIDS would never be the same. An HBO Documentary Films release.